Blending with the lanscape

Kerry Hill is regarded as one of the best regional architects, up there among the exalted ranks of Geoffrey Bawa and Peter Muller. CHIN MUI YOON finds out the principles that govern this award-winning architects works. HOW should an architect maintain the delicate balance of past and future? This question lies at the heart of all Kerry Hills work. The Singapore-based Australian architect is known for his sensitive translation of local cultures and identity into modern buildings that transcend the stereotypical exotic Asian architecture. Since the 1990s, the typical tropical resort has been at the forefront of whats termed Tropical Regionalism. While the period produced buildings that celebrate local cultures and identity, it also spawned romanticised reproductions where carved wooden doors, or gardens with a lotus pond and scattered with stone statues are immediately described as Balinese style. But Hills architecture transcends obvious notions of region and what the tropical resort might be, comments Philip Goad, professor of architecture at the University of Melbourne, in his book New Directions in Tropical Asian Architecture. Hills buildings go beyond mere aesthetics. The spaces capture the essence of each location and achieve a delicate balance between beauty and simplicity; rustic and contemporary; past and present. To me, architecture cannot rely on image alone; it involves and speaks to the senses, said Hill at an interview during Datum: KL2006, the Malaysian Institute of Architects fourth Annual International Architectural Design Conference. If architecture is perceived as image only, then its very easy to fall into a state of mind in which traditional takes over from innovation, or worse, innovation denies tradition. He resists the development of a house style, preferring to respond to each location.

However, one common factor in his buildings is sensitively designed spaces that are rooted yet not contained in their locality. Take the Amankora resort, for example. It features a series of lodges spread across Bhutans central and western valleys. The solitude and tranquility of this mountainous, Buddhist Himalayan kingdom, still untouched by tourism, is reflected in the low-impact buildings utilising natural rammed earth, timber and stone that exude an almost monastic ambience. I am reminded of an old Chinese proverb ? the future is only the past again, entered through another gate, Hill quoted. The regeneration of building forms, or variants of past models, fails to address the concerns of contemporary architecture. Yet, I also believe an architecture that denies its past is at the risk of being skin-deep, as in architecture at home everywhere and yet nowhere. Forms can manifest in diverse ways. But each building needs to tell its own story. It can belong to a family of precedents, but it must speak for itself. This connection between past and present is also made viable through materials. Where possible, Hill said he uses materials common to each place and prefers natural materials for their generic compatibility. For instance, the natural way to build in Bhutan is with mud or stone while its timber for Kyoto, he explained. We reference past building traditions through suggestion and association rather than replication, and through the reinterpretation of indigenous building forms as opposed to imitation. Born in 1943, Hill was among the pioneering batch of eight architecture graduates from the University of Western Australia in 1968.

He worked for three years with Perth-based architects, Howlett and Bailey, before attempting to make his mark in the United States. However, Hill seemed destined to remain in Asia. He joined the firm of Palmer and Turner from 1972 to 1978, based initially in Hong Kong and later in Jakarta. His first foreign project was as resident site architect for the Bali Hyatt Hotel in the early 1970s. It was during this time that Hill became acquainted with the late Geoffrey Bawa and Peter Muller, two architects who defined tropical resorts. What was intended to be a three-month stint in Asia extended to over 30 years. In 1979, Hill started his own practice in Singapore, which is now also his home and where he has an office in a restored shophouse. Kerry Hill is not someone youd describe as sociable. It augurs well for his architectural works, as his buildings have a scope of past, present and future, yet are finely detailed in their interpretation, commented an architect at Datum:KL2006. Up close, the silver-bearded architect has the appearance of a professor. With sharp, perceptive eyes behind tortoise-shell glasses, Hills wry wit and dry humour are not readily apparent because he is a man of few words, appearing almost aloof at times. A string of extraordinary resorts across Asia exemplifies Hills vision of tropical architecture. These are spaces that are effortlessly comfortable, encourage rest and reflection, yet inspiring with their harmony. The designs are often minimal but never minimalist, a quality inherent in good architecture that Hill described as exactitude. Exactitude is attributed to any object constructed with precision neither too much, nor too little. One material pays respect to another. It is tangible and clearly evident, he explained. Another quality is authenticity, which is the ability of an architectural work to feel comfortable in its own skin, to look forward and backwards with equal ease.

Inherent in our idea of authenticity is a desire to localise each project. It has not only to do with extending the valid character of a place, but also with the creation of new places. It involves a response to the tangible and current realities of a situation, of site, climate, technology, tradition and the human values of a place. It is building with a sense of belonging. The Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA), which selected Hill as the years Gold Medallist, hailed his works as encouraging a progressive, regionally sensitive approach to the design and construction of buildings across the Asia Pacific. One of Hills earliest works that established his name was The Datai in Langkawi. The project won the 2001 Aga Khan Architectural Award for its ecological approach ? that allows nature to reclaim the terrain after construction. My works are always a response to landscape and climate, explained Hill. Perhaps my inspiration has everything to do with living for three decades in Singapore, which has beautiful old buildings that were designed for tropical climates and are still fully relevant and functional today. Now, at 63, how has his architecture evolved? When youre young, you lay all your ideas on the table because you treat every project as your first and last job, Hill replied, a hint of a smile showing at last. Now, I see more restrain in my work. Im no longer in such a hurry to give it all. To young architects, Hill has only one advice: be patient. I mention Malaysian-born Bali-based architect Cheong Yew Kuan, and Richard Hassell and Wong Mun Summ from WOHA Architects, all who had started successful practices after having worked with Hill. Architecture is a practice that is developed over time, he said. These architects have moved on and evolved well. Lots of people ask me when Ill be calling it a day. But the word retirement is not in my vocabulary. My greatest achievement in architecture is that Im still enjoying the work. And Im looking forward to what the future brings.

Sumber: http://www.thestar.com.my/story.aspx/?file=%2f2006%2f9%2f3%2flifeliving%2f14965666 Diakses pada: 7/04/14 19:54

PRESIDENT'S DESIGN AWARD 2010 DESIGNER OF THE YEAR | KERRY HILL

Born in 1943, Kerry Hill graduated from the University of Western Australia in 1968, and then worked in Perth with Howlett & Bailey Architects. In 1971, he moved to Asia and never looked back: he worked with Palmer and Turner in Hong Kong, Bali, Jakarta and Singapore, and then established Kerry Hill Architects in Singapore in 1979. Kerry Hill describes his attraction to architecture almost as fate: I am an architect like a dog is a dog thats my lot in life. A man of few words but wellknown for his uncompromising commitment to architecture, Kerry Hill is lauded for his work in Asia, in particular on resort hotels. He is celebrated for a brand of architecture that adapts traditional Asian design and draws on the climatic and site conditions specific to each project location. While living and working in Asia, he says, I have consciously allowed a reciprocal influence to exist between my modernist principles and the traditions of the East. It is part observation and part intuition. Instead of replicating traditional designs, he seeks to reference past building traditions through suggestion and association. In addition, he aims to emphasise sensual experience and an intuitive approach over theoretical speculation. He believes that a spatial experience should evoke a response from our senses of sight, touch and sound. In this experiential architecture, says Kerry Hill, the choice of materials is central to our design process. A hierarchy usually exists within the composition of materials for each project. How these materials are connected is informed by one material paying respect to another. Our desire for exactitude is fundamental.

Inclined to produce results rather than talk, as one Jury member noted, Kerry Hill prefers to let his work speak for itself. When asked what he thinks sets him apart from other architects, he says simply, Thats for others to decide. Indeed, his work has received an extensive list of awards from the Singapore Institute of Architects and the Royal Australian Institute of Architects, and from several state institutes in Australia and the United States. Notable projects include The Datai Hotel in Langkawi, Malaysia, which won the prestigious International Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2001; and The Lalu Hotel at Sun Moon Lake in Nantou, Taiwan, which clinched the FIABCI Prix dExcellence Winners Award in 2004. In 2006, the Royal Australian Institute of Architects honoured him with a Gold Medal in recognition of his work as an architect of exceptional sensibility and expertise who has consistently delivered the very highest quality architecture. Kerry Hill holds professional registrations for architectural practice in Singapore and most Australian states. He also lectures and travels extensively, and has taught in several leading schools of architecture. He delivered public lectures at the School of Architecture of the National University of Singapore (NUS), where he was an external examiner from 2005 to 2007. From 2006 to 2008, he served as a Jury member for the Presidents Design Award. In 2008, the University of Western Australia awarded him an honorary Doctor of Architecture degree. He is currently Visiting Professor of Architecture at the University of New South Wales. Having spent decades in Singapore and taken up permanent residency, Kerry Hill is positive about the growth of architecture in Singapore. He says, There is definitely a growing sense of architectural community in Singapore together with an increasing awareness among clients that good design sells. The design culture is maturing and I am optimistic for the future. Advice for emerging designers: Set your sights high mediocrity is an expensive burden. Sumber: http://www.designsingapore.org/pda_public/gallery.aspx?sid=755 Diakses pada: 07/04/14 20:25

10 statement Kerry Hill yang digunakan sebagai acuan mendesain: 1. To me, architecture cannot rely on image alone; it involves and speaks to the senses, 2. If architecture is perceived as image only, then its very easy to fall into a state of mind in which traditional takes over from innovation, or worse, innovation denies tradition. 3. Forms can manifest in diverse ways. But each building needs to tell its own story. It can belong to a family of precedents, but it must speak for itself. 4. Exactitude is attributed to any object constructed with precision neither too much, nor too little. One material pays respect to another. It is tangible and clearly evident, 5. Another quality is authenticity, which is the ability of an architectural work to feel comfortable in its own skin, to look forward and backwards with equal ease. 6. Inherent in our idea of authenticity is a desire to localise each project. It has not only to do with extending the valid character of a place, but also with the creation of new places. 7. It involves a response to the tangible and current realities of a situation, of site, climate, technology, tradition and the human values of a place. It is building with a sense of belonging. 8. My works are always a response to landscape and climate, 9. I have consciously allowed a reciprocal influence to exist between my modernist principles and the traditions of the East. It is part observation and part intuition. 10. the choice of materials is central to our design process. A hierarchy usually exists within the composition of materials for each project. How these materials are connected is informed by one material paying respect to another. Our desire for exactitude is fundamental.

Ooi House Kerry Hill Margaret River, Australia 1997 Sumber: http://www.dedeceblog.com/2012/04/17/vola-celebrates-kerry-hill-q-a-dedecesydney/ Diakses pada: 07/04/14 20:46

Campbell House Kerry Hill Perth, Australia 2011 Sumber: http://architectureau.com/articles/2013-wa-architecture-awards/ Diakses pada: 07/04/14 21.01

Garlick Avenue House Kerry Hill Singapore 2005 Sumber: http://architecturenow.co.nz/articles/the-light-master/ Diakses pada: 07/04/14 21:14

NAUFAL GARDITO / 21020111140175